You might tell yourself that when it comes to work, the formula is simple: knuckle down, impress your bosses, and the results will speak for themselves.
But Harvard Business Review disagrees. They write, “In most organisations, promotions are governed by unwritten rules – the often fuzzy, intuitive, and poorly expressed feelings of senior executives regarding individuals’ ability to succeed in C-suite positions”.
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And according to Rob Phelps at Digital PR, overachieving employees can leave themselves more at risk of burnout than promotion. In fact, the trait can sometimes harm rather than help their career.
Here, he shared six signs you may be the office “overachiever” – and why it might affect your career.
1) You struggle to say no
“Overachievers are not the same as those labelled lazy or weak; they want to be seen as the person who is always able to help, so they add more to their schedule,” Phelps said.
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“But there’s a huge difference between being helpful and being overstretched to breaking point.”
Those who say “yes” to everything may be seen as adaptable and dependable in the short term, but can risk overstretching themselves over time – leading to burnout.
2) You’re first in, last out
It can feel like heading in early and leaving late is a sign of diligence.
″’People will make sure they are noticed and that they’re not late, as some may want to be seen as the hardest workers, even when it interferes with health and relationships,” Phelps said.
But this can “lead to presenteeism, a culture where people stay late not because they need to, but because they feel guilty, like they should” – and which is not linked to better productivity.
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3) You’re a perfectionist
Double, triple, and quadruple-check every email before hitting “send”?
Phelps stated, “Perfectionists often think they are aiming for success. However, they fear being judged or criticised.
“They believe it’s not good enough. This actually slows them down, and the stress of overwork clearly outweighs any benefits.”
4) Taking work home
Checking your emails at 11pm or mulling over that client pitch before bed isn’t a great idea, tempting as it may seem.
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“This can be dangerous as it blurs the lines between work and life until there is no line,” Phelps explained.
“The brain needs downtime to rest and recover from a week at work, but overachievers take their own time away from themselves; therefore, they always feel tense.”
5) Never delegating, or struggling to do so
You might tell yourself that nobody else will be able to meet your high standards, or think that all tasks will be done better by you.
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“This is where overachievers can hold themselves back, as they think they are protecting the work quality, but they are really limiting themselves,” Phelps advised.
It can lead workers to carry more mental load than is really necessary or efficient, and can (again) raise the risk of burnout.
6) You solve everyone else’s problems
It’s great to be seen as reliable and helpful, but if your coworkers always turn to you for solutions, you might want to rethink your approach.
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“Overachievers like to be the fixer; however, it’s not sustainable to solve everyone else’s problems on top of your own,” Phelps warned.
“You end up with no time, no energy, and no space for yourself.”
Setting boundaries, learning to say no, trusting others to help you at work, and truly switching off once you’re out of the office can all help to prevent these, he ended.
